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Post by fr8kar on Mar 21, 2014 6:39:30 GMT -8
Now that my model railroad group has a place to set up and run trains, I've discovered one of the other guys has two of the same cars I do: same paint job, same numbers. These are two Walthers 65' tank cars in a blue paint scheme and apparently my friend liked them as much as I did.
I'd like to repaint these cars into something a bit less flashy, either a plain white job or plain black or one of each. I am not much of a tank car aficionado, so searching for a prototype in white or black is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. It would probably help if I had some prototype information on these cars.
I guess a good place to start is, does the Walthers model actually represent a prototype? When was the prototype (or similar prototype) built?
I'm willing to do a bit of modeling to change these cars, such as replacing the roofwalk/manway, replacing draft gear, etc. if it will help get the model closer to a particular prototype.
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Post by TBird1958 on Mar 21, 2014 7:51:10 GMT -8
If I recall correctly it's based on a GATX 33K LPG stub sill car. I'd look at Plano's parts to upgrade it, long ago I wrote an article for Mainline Modeler with some simple modifications to the basic kit that give you a good "layout quality" car - It won't be one of Bobby Pitts' masterpieces but certainly worth the effort. I still have a couple of these stashed away for some future fun.  This is a Carbonic car I built by shortening the Walthers kit.  |
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Post by riogrande on Mar 21, 2014 8:08:59 GMT -8
Speaking of the Walthers 33K LPG cars, I have 5 or 6 of the plain Jane versions. Those all have the walkways on the top center of the tank. There is a version I've seen lots of photo's of which I don't think has been offered in plastic yet - they have an offset walkway over the top of the tank. It would be great to see those offered too.
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Post by TBird1958 on Mar 21, 2014 8:22:44 GMT -8
Speaking of the Walthers 33K LPG cars, I have 5 or 6 of the plain Jane versions. Those all have the walkways on the top center of the tank. There is a version I've seen lots of photo's of which I don't think has been offered in plastic yet - they have an offset walkway over the top of the tank. It would be great to see those offered too. Jim, it's easy enough to do with some Plano walkway, cover hopper walkway supports, brass wire and Athearn BB diesel stanchions. The most difficult part of the project is cleaning up and hiding the seam that runs lengthwise across the top of the model. Interestingly, the railing can run either inboard or board of an offset placed walkway - at least on a GATX car. |
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Post by riogrande on Mar 21, 2014 9:00:57 GMT -8
Assuming the two tank cars are basically the same except for the walkways, it might not be a difficult conversion. I know I've seen photo's of those in my Rio Grande in Color Volume 2 - photo's by Steven Seguine of some short freight trains with these hoppers in Utah I believe. I'll try to make some comparisons.
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Post by fr8kar on Mar 21, 2014 9:34:37 GMT -8
Nice work on those tanks, Tbird.
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Post by GP40P-2 on Mar 21, 2014 9:46:54 GMT -8
TBird:
I have that article and remember it well. Great modeling. Thanks for the reminder, one of those cars and that decal set stashed away as a "someday" project. Time to "storage dive."
Jim
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Post by drolsen on Mar 21, 2014 11:04:23 GMT -8
Assuming the two tank cars are basically the same except for the walkways, it might not be a difficult conversion. Plano actually makes two side-mounted walkway versions for the Walthers tank car for this type of conversion: #302 LP Tank Car Walkway - center mounted Walthers Car #303 LP Tank Car Walkway - side mounted - outside handrail - Trinity style #304 LP Tank Car Walkway - side mounted - inside handrail - General Am. style Dave |
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Post by buffalobill on Mar 21, 2014 11:44:59 GMT -8
Ryan: as Dave pointed out the Walthers 33MG car is a model of a Union 112 type car built from the early to mid 1970's to the mid 1970's, that had been through a HM-144 program in the late 1970's- early 1980's. It has the required head shields and jacketing to cover the thermal protection. The Union Tank design center walkway is the giveaway. Trinity, ACF, Richmond, and GATX used side mounted walkways. The Birds model of the 20MG CO2 car leased to Liquid Carbonic has the standard Union design features. It has a smaller diameter and should be on a continuous center sill. The Athearn 33Mg cars are later models of either the 112J or 105J type cars which were built by Union from the late 1980's to the present.
The cars would have looked like the Walters model from the late 1970's on, and would have lasted until the mid 2000 time frame if they were not built with normalized steel. Later if they were. They do make good conversion candidates to other builders models, bolsters, operating platforms, and walkways are the primary spotting features.
Bill
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Post by TBird1958 on Mar 21, 2014 11:55:48 GMT -8
Not easy to see in that pic, but mine does have a center sill, easy enough to add - I think I cut apart an Athearn BB '62ft car for mine.   |
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Post by buffalobill on Mar 21, 2014 12:04:45 GMT -8
Mr. Bird, did not mean to imply it wasn't. Just CO2 cars, Anhydrous HCL and a few other specialty pressure cars, as well as the exotic metal construction cars ride on center sills. They are rare. Very nice job by the way.
Bill
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Post by TBird1958 on Mar 21, 2014 13:55:12 GMT -8
No worries, buffalobill |
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Post by SOMECALLMETIM on Mar 21, 2014 14:42:52 GMT -8
Thank you for posting the article. I have two of the Walthers cars and the article and photos will go a long way to improving my models.
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Post by fr8kar on Mar 22, 2014 9:00:23 GMT -8
Ryan: as Dave pointed out the Walthers 33MG car is a model of a Union 112 type car built from the early to mid 1970's to the mid 1970's, that had been through a HM-144 program in the late 1970's- early 1980's. It has the required head shields and jacketing to cover the thermal protection. The Union Tank design center walkway is the giveaway. Trinity, ACF, Richmond, and GATX used side mounted walkways. The Birds model of the 20MG CO2 car leased to Liquid Carbonic has the standard Union design features. It has a smaller diameter and should be on a continuous center sill. The Athearn 33Mg cars are later models of either the 112J or 105J type cars which were built by Union from the late 1980's to the present. The cars would have looked like the Walters model from the late 1970's on, and would have lasted until the mid 2000 time frame if they were not built with normalized steel. Later if they were. They do make good conversion candidates to other builders models, bolsters, operating platforms, and walkways are the primary spotting features. Bill Thanks, Bill. This gives me some good leads to search out prototype photos. The 1970s build dates are very useful for my modeling era, so cars built around that time are the ones I'll focus on. |
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